Ch. 4: Social Structure and Social Ch. 4: Social Structure and Social InteractionInteraction

2 ways to view world- macro/micro 2 ways to view world- macro/micro sociologysociology

Social structure- the typical patterns Social structure- the typical patterns in a group, consisting of the in a group, consisting of the relationships of people and groups to relationships of people and groups to one anotherone anotherGuides our behaviorGuides our behaviorOverrides personal feelings/desiresOverrides personal feelings/desires

Major components of social structureMajor components of social structure

Culture- determines what kind of Culture- determines what kind of people we becomepeople we become

Social class- based on income, Social class- based on income, education, and occupational prestigeeducation, and occupational prestige

Social status- position an individual Social status- position an individual occupies in society or in a social occupies in society or in a social groupgroupSeveral positions at same timeSeveral positions at same timeStatus setStatus set

Ascribed status- involuntaryAscribed status- involuntaryAchieved status- voluntary, earnedAchieved status- voluntary, earned

Positive or negativePositive or negativeFound in all human groupsFound in all human groups

Status symbols- signs to identify Status symbols- signs to identify statusstatus

Master statuses- cuts across other Master statuses- cuts across other statuses an individual occupiesstatuses an individual occupies

Status inconsistency- contradiction or Status inconsistency- contradiction or mismatch between statusesmismatch between statuses

Social statuses come w/ built in Social statuses come w/ built in norms/expectations that guide our norms/expectations that guide our behaviorbehavior

Roles- behaviors, obligations, and Roles- behaviors, obligations, and privileges attached to a statusprivileges attached to a status

Occupy a status, play a roleOccupy a status, play a roleRoles lay out what is expected of Roles lay out what is expected of

peoplepeople

Groups- consist of people who Groups- consist of people who regularly and consistently interact w/ regularly and consistently interact w/ one anotherone another

Share similar values, norms, & Share similar values, norms, & expectationsexpectations

Organization varies- status: well-poorly Organization varies- status: well-poorly defined; informal-formal; differing defined; informal-formal; differing degrees of connection w/ other groupsdegrees of connection w/ other groups

Involuntary memberships- assigned Involuntary memberships- assigned membershipmembership

Voluntary memberships- choose to joinVoluntary memberships- choose to join

Social institutionsSocial institutions

The organized means that each society The organized means that each society develops to meet its basic needsdevelops to meet its basic needs

Family, religion, law, politics, economics, Family, religion, law, politics, economics, education, science, medicine, militaryeducation, science, medicine, military

Differentiation- dominant feature of Differentiation- dominant feature of human societies is continual creation of human societies is continual creation of new social institutions (Parsons)new social institutions (Parsons)

Mass media as emerging social Mass media as emerging social institutioninstitution

Nature of social institutionsNature of social institutions

Functionalist perspectiveFunctionalist perspectivePerform vital functions for societyPerform vital functions for societyFive functional requisitesFive functional requisitesReplace membersReplace membersSocialize new membersSocialize new membersProduce/distribute goods and servicesProduce/distribute goods and servicesPreserve orderPreserve orderProvide sense of purposeProvide sense of purpose

Conflict perspectiveConflict perspectiveSocial institutions do not work Social institutions do not work

harmoniously for the common goodharmoniously for the common goodPower elitePower elite

What holds society together?What holds society together?

Social cohesionSocial cohesionMechanical solidarityMechanical solidarityDivision of laborDivision of laborOrganic solidarityOrganic solidarityGemeinschaft (intimate community)Gemeinschaft (intimate community)Gesselschaft (impersonal Gesselschaft (impersonal

association)association)As societies change so do people’s As societies change so do people’s

orientations to lifeorientations to life

Social interaction and symbolic Social interaction and symbolic interactionisminteractionism

Stereotypes in everyday lifeStereotypes in everyday lifePersonal space- varies by culturePersonal space- varies by culture4 distance zones4 distance zones

Intimate distanceIntimate distancePersonal distancePersonal distanceSocial distanceSocial distancePublic distancePublic distance

Touching and eye contactTouching and eye contact

Dramaturgy Dramaturgy

Social life like a drama or stage playSocial life like a drama or stage playFront stage vs. back stage (Goffman)Front stage vs. back stage (Goffman)Role conflictRole conflictRole strainRole strainWe tend to become the roles we playWe tend to become the roles we play Impression managementImpression management

Use social settingUse social settingAppearanceAppearanceMannerMannerFace-saving behaviorFace-saving behavior

The social construction of realityThe social construction of reality

Symbolic interactionSymbolic interactionThe definition of the situation (Thomas The definition of the situation (Thomas

theorem)- if people define situations as theorem)- if people define situations as real, they are real in their consequencesreal, they are real in their consequences

Subjective interpretationSubjective interpretation

Need macro and micro sociologyNeed macro and micro sociologyThe Saints and the RoughnecksThe Saints and the Roughnecks